User blog:John Pan/Groundsplitter
To rapidly clear ground forces during an invasion, the TOP fields a fast starship-dropped gunship to execute the ground attack mission. 1 AIRCRAFT Purpose The Groundsplitter is designed to split the ground with hailstorms of 3' rockets and plasma. Capacity None. Sensors The Groundsplitter's outer skin is equipped with a 60-degree E/O sensor suite, which includes a Thermal camera, Nightvision-capable cameras set in binocular mode, a short-range T-Wave scanner and a LADAR. Conformal SAR panels can be found on the gunship's belly. Anti-Surface Weaponry Phalanx (2) A Hurricane Bolter, only better. The Phalanx is a twelve-barrel 3' chain-rocket launcher. Each rocket is a Thermobaric Shell with a rocket motor glued on to the back, giving each projectile the speed of a pressure-assisted shell and the brunt of a 250-lb HE warhead complete with EMP and sonic blast. And it fires at over 2000 rpm and draws on a massive 10,000 round magazine. For anti-infantry firepower, the Groundsplitter mounts one Phalanx turret in the front and back of its fuselage. T1185 Plasmathrower (6) The T1185 is a fixed “controlled plasma burst projector.” When translated, it means that it is a plasma thrower, much like a plasma torch on steroids. Via immense heat generated via the tank's fusion core, it sucks in the surrounding air and ionizes it. Then it throws out the fourth stage of matter out via magnetic fields, where it can reach out to a maximum of 50 meters. The are found in groups of three on either side of the Groundsplitter. Anti-Aircraft Weaponry Phalanx (2) A Hurricane Bolter, only better. The Phalanx is a twelve-barrel 3' chain-rocket launcher. Each rocket is a Thermobaric Shell with a rocket motor glued on to the back, giving each projectile the speed of a pressure-assisted shell and the brunt of a 250-lb HE warhead complete with EMP and sonic blast. And it fires at over 2000 rpm and draws on a massive 10,000 round magazine. For anti-infantry firepower, the Groundsplitter mounts one Phalanx turret in the front and back of its fuselage. T1185 Plasmathrower (6) The T1185 is a fixed “controlled plasma burst projector.” When translated, it means that it is a plasma thrower, much like a plasma torch on steroids. Via immense heat generated via the tank's fusion core, it sucks in the surrounding air and ionizes it. Then it throws out the fourth stage of matter out via magnetic fields, where it can reach out to a maximum of 50 meters. The are found in groups of three on either side of the Groundsplitter. Anti-Submarine Weaponry None. Upgrades Weaponry Quad TL407 Pod (2) For better long-range anti-vehicle firepower, the Groundsplitter can get two pods of TL407s. Consisting of a small 1-ton-yield laser-ignited thermonuclear warhead that converts a sheet of lithium into plasma that burns a hole through a tank, the TL407 is a very, very dangerous weapon if you're an armored vehicle, even if you're behind a concrete wall. Protection Passive The gunship's outer layer is composed of self-healing polymer that allows it to use a portion of the kinetic energy that has ripped it open to close the hole. Then there is a Faraday cage to ignore medium-energy EMP bursts. Behind that, there is a layer of tri-layer graphene as a barrier between the two major components of the armor, as well as acting as the armor's circuitry. It then has overlapping ceramic plates; if penetration happens, the epoxy glue microcapsules in the ceramic plating can allow a fractured piece of ceramic plating to return to roughly the same level of integrity. This provides protection from pressure-assisted Olympium 25mm caseless heavy MA rounds. Active In terms of active protection, the Groundsplitter has an electromagnetic wave jammer as well as flare launchers. Kinetic Shield Projected out of projection points in the gunship's fuselage, the armor can absorb an impact from anything: slugs, electrons, photons, ions, anti-protons, etc. It can absorb up to 5.0x 10^9 joules of energy before collapsing and burning out—which means that it can absorb a TL407's blast. Locomotion The Groundsplitter operates off of three miniature fusion reactors, with two powering the two the anti-gravity plating and another using its plasma exhaust as a fusion rocket. The combination of immense thrust and hovering capabilities gives the Groundsplitter excellent maneuverability. Category:Blog posts